The present invention relates generally to medical devices and methods and more particularly to devices, systems and methods for treating conditions wherein a tissue (e.g., the prostate gland) has a) become enlarged and/or b) undergone a change in form, position, structure, rigidity or force exertion with respect to another anatomical structure and/or c) has begun to impinge upon or compress an adjacent anatomical structure (e.g., the urethra).
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common medical conditions that affect men, especially elderly men. It has been reported that, in the United States more than half of all men have histopathologic evidence of BPH by age 60 and, by age 85, approximately 9 out of 10 men suffer from the condition. Moreover, the incidence and prevalence of BPH are expected to increase as the average age of the population in developed countries increases.
Despite extensive efforts in both the medical device and pharmaco-therapeutic fields, current treatments remain only partially effective and are burdened with significant side effects. Certain devices used to displace urethral tissue, such as urethral stents, can become encrusted due to exposure to urine. This encrustation is an undesirable and problematic side effect.
Thus, there remains a need for the development of new devices, systems and methods for treating BPH as well as other conditions in which one tissue or anatomical structure impinges upon or compresses another tissue or anatomical structure.